End-point cooking temperature

Figure 7. Description of the enzyme activity and protein distribution determined in beef extracts cooked to various end-point cooking temperatures (adapted from 2).

Earlier investigations using an external closed loop inlet device (ECID) in conjunction with a packed colunm and a sulfur specific flame photometric detector, indicated that the concentration of HjS varied inversely with temperature 14, 24). This resulted in a temperature-dependent variability in the concentrations of the dimethyl sulfides (14). In order to determine whether the dimethyl sulfides were being created during desorption, meat samples were cooked to three end-point temperatures and then desorbed at these same three temperatures. Additionally, the meat was stored for periods of 0, 2, and 4 days before being sealed and analyzed. 

Figure 2. Flame photometric detection of sulfur-containing volatiles from O.lg of cooked ground-beef, top left), beef cooked to an end-point temperature (EPT) of 70° C. Sample was purged at 50° C in the SPTD the same day it was prepared, top, right), same as the top, left but the sample was stored for 4 days, bottom, left), beef cooked to an EPT of 70° C. Sample was purged at 100° C in the SPTD the same day as it was prepared, bottom, right), same as the bottom, left but the sample was stored for 4 days. B = benzo-thiophene external standard.

Figure 3. Flame photometric detection of sulfur-containing volatiles from O.lg of ground-beef cooked to an end-point temperature of 70 C, then purged at 50 C, 75 C, and 100 C after 4 days of refrigerated storage. B benzothiophene external standard.

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